


Always Enough

by 8ucky8arnes



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-18 12:37:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21660937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8ucky8arnes/pseuds/8ucky8arnes
Summary: Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.Buck slid off his barstool, not bothering to look through the peephole before pulling it open, surprised at the sight he was met with.“Eddie?”
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Comments: 26
Kudos: 875
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	Always Enough

**Author's Note:**

> So this was supposed to up like two weeks ago but I just kept adding onto it and I once again ended up with over 5k words so...yeah.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Buck looked blankly into the glass of whiskey in front of him, watching as the kitchen lights refracted off the amber liquid. He was tempted to drink it like he’d done to the two before that, but Maddie’s voice butted in, telling him that mixing alcohol with blood thinners was a horrible idea and he shoved it away hard enough for some to spill over the rim.

He couldn’t get Hen’s screams out of his head, his chest aching as he replayed the shake of Eddie’s head moments before she shattered in Athena’s arms, sinking to the ground as she clung to the other woman and _wailed_ …

Buck slammed his hand onto the countertop hard enough for the glass to rattle, throat closing up as his vision blurred. He barely felt his stinging palm as the tears overflowed and couldn’t stop thinking that this wasn’t fair…

It wasn’t _fucking fair_.

His sister was going to therapy _again_ , Athena had been suspended, Eddie’s behavior was becoming stranger by the day, and now Hen was blaming herself for a young woman’s death. And he was helpless to stop anything, to _do_ anything except watch it all happen.

His family was hurting and there was _nothing_ he could do-

_Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock._

Buck frowned, glancing at his phone to see if he’d missed a call and…

Nothing.

His concern rose when he noticed it was nearing midnight, Buck sliding off his barstool and padding to the door. He didn’t bother looking through the peephole before pulling it open, surprised at the sight he was met with.

An intoxicated Eddie was leaning heavily against the doorframe like it was the only thing that kept him upright, his face wet with tears and something in Buck broke when he looked up at him through glassy, bloodshot eyes.

“Eddie?”

“Buck…” Eddie swallowed, the rest of his words a slurred mess of Spanish.

Buck didn’t hesitate to sling Eddie’s arm over his shoulder while wrapping his own around the man’s waist, staggering under the near-dead weight as he guided him over to the couch and helped him sit down.

And while everything in him screamed for answers, Buck knew that right now, Eddie was nowhere near the right mindset for any type of conversation and that even if he got a response it would most likely be entirely in Spanish anyways.

He went to stand, nearly falling back when Eddie pulled on his wrist.

“ _Por favor…_ ” Eddie shook his head, expression open and pleading as his fingers dug into Buck’s skin. His voice cracked and his breathing was becoming more ragged, more panicked, “Buck, please… _por favor_. Don’t… _no puedo_ … _por favor_.”

Buck immediately crouched in front of him, reaching out to take his face in his hands, “Hey, hey Eddie look at me. Look at me, alright?” It felt as though a small eternity passed before those eyes finally focused on him, “I’m right here, okay? I’m right here. I was just going to get water from the kitchen. I’m not leaving.”

Eddie blinked once, twice before nodding, his hand falling back into his lap.

Buck hesitated, his heart lurching at the despondent expression Eddie wore before he hurried into the kitchen and filled a glass with water, bringing it back over to the couch. He gently coaxed it into his hands and Buck frowned at the bruising on his knuckles but kept his voice soft when he spoke, “Drink this.”

Eddie drained the first (and second) drink, the foggy distance in his eyes not clearing as Buck set the glass down on the coffee table, the man hunching over and clutching at his head as his body began to tremble.

“I’m sorry, Buck.” He choked out between sobs, devolving into Spanish.

Buck reached out, running his hand over his back. “It’s okay. I’m here. I’m here…”

Eddie turned in Buck’s hold, burying his face in Buck’s chest.

Buck’s alarm for his friend’s wellbeing reached near panic level, but he forced those feelings aside as he moved, sitting back further in the couch and pulling Eddie closer and a part of him cracked with each sob that wracked Eddie’s entire frame, Buck closing his eyes and resting his cheek on his head.

With every broken sound that left him, it felt though something cold was squeezing his heart and he couldn’t stop his own tears from falling, hating that he didn’t have a fucking clue about what was going through Eddie’s head. It scared him to think of all that his friend had hidden from him, from _everyone_ …

His worried faltered for a split second, Buck sucking in a sharp breath as hands slid around his ribcage, leaving a trail of heat that was quickly cooled by the warmth dripping down his neck and Buck rocked him back and forth, murmuring comforting words he was sure Eddie couldn’t even hear over and over and over…

Buck wasn’t sure how long he held Eddie until the shaking stopped and didn’t care to check the time or worry about how many hours he had until he had to go into work. Buck knew if he called Bobby, the captain would understand…hopefully.

Eddie’s breathing evened out, but when Buck went to lay him down, he found himself unable to pull out of the man’s hold. He reached one hand up, cupping his face to find hazel eyes now heavy with sleep, “You gotta let go alright, so you can lay down.”

Nodding, Eddie allowed himself to be maneuvered until he was lying curled on his side with the throw blanket draped over him, murmuring something inaudible as Buck grabbed one of the pillows from his bed along with the trash can and brought them back downstairs.

Buck crouched down and folded the pillow and slid it underneath his head, his hand lingering on Eddie’s shoulder as he drew the trash can near his head. A part of him wanted to stay up, to watch over Eddie, afraid that he would slink out as soon as he woke. But he was sure his hovering wouldn’t be appreciated come morning…

“Buck?”

He looked over, meeting bleary hazel eyes. “Yeah?”

Eddie frowned, reaching up.

Buck held his breath as bruised knuckles grazed his cheek, “Eddie?”

“I’m sorry.”

While he’d said the same words earlier, they carried a different weight this time and Buck tried to think of what he could be apologizing for, if anything had happened between them in the weeks that would warrant it but he was drawing a complete blank. Everything had been going well. They were finally on the same page after he’d forgiven Buck for the lawsuit. “You’re sorry? Eddie, what are you-?”

“Shannon left me.” Fingers trailed along his jaw as his hand dropped, “You left me.”

Buck swallowed, completely frozen.

“She said she…wanted to try again but she-”

_Died._ Buck could see Eddie practically choke on the word, but was at a loss at what to say…if there was anything he could say. He recalled that day in the hospital, at the numbness he’d seemed to wrap around himself…

“I forgave her for everything.” His words were growing more slurred, “I forgave you…but I wasn’t…I wasn’t enough for her.” Eddie blinked sluggishly, struggling to focus on Buck as the alcohol and drowsiness began to pull him down. “I won’t be enough for you. You’ll…you’ll leave me too.”

Buck felt like he was back under that ladder truck again, an invisible weight pressing down on him, pinning him to the floor and pushing all the air out of his lungs. He couldn’t form any thoughts, any words, anything at all until Eddie finally fell asleep.

He eventually straightened from his crouch, pulling the blanket up over Eddie’s shoulders and reached out to brush away the last tears from the man’s now sleep-softened features, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead and murmuring, “I won’t leave again. I promise.”

He picked up his phone, wincing at the _1:24 am_ before dialing Bobby’s number, praying to anyone who would listen that Athena was not one who picked up the phone. The last thing he needed right now was-

“Buck?”

Buck nearly sighed in relief at his captain’s voice, “Hey Bobby, I’m sorry I woke you up-”

“It’s alright, kid.” There was a rustling sound and he cleared his throat, “What is it?”

“Eddie’s currently passed out on my couch.” Buck figured getting to the point would be best given the time and that negating other details wouldn’t hurt right now, “He’s gonna have the hangover from hell when he wakes up and I just figured I would let you know so that you don’t get mad when-”

“Is he okay?”

Buck was confused with Bobby’s tone for only a moment before realizing that the man had information about whatever was going on with Eddie. He might’ve been hurt by that if it wasn’t Bobby. “I don’t know. He was speaking Spanish most of the time, but he seemed really upset about something…”

“Just stay with him, alright? I’ll call in someone else to cover your shifts.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, “Thanks, Cap.”

“Take care of him.”

Buck wasn’t sure why the words had him flushing but he nodded, “I will.”

“Okay, then you have a good night, Buck.”

“You too, Bobby.” He ended the call and set his phone down on the coffee table, glancing back down at the sleeping Eddie and sighed at the realization that there was very little chance of him going to bed for the rest of the night but he’d figured it couldn’t hurt to try.

…

The first thing Eddie registered upon waking was pain, like he was being kicked in the head repeatedly and even with his eyes squeezed shut, the combination of the sun coming in from somewhere above and the clang of pots from behind him had Eddie groaning.

“Hey, you’re up!”

_Buck?_

He buried his face in the pillow, “Too loud.”

“Sorry.” Buck lowered his voice, coming over and blocking the sun. “Here.”

His stomach lurched violently as Buck sat him upright and it took every bit of self-control he had not to vomit. Considering Eddie could barely recall anything from the night before, he knew he’d probably been a nightmare to deal with and puking on him was the last thing Buck needed…

Buck pressed two pills into his palm, “Take these.”

Eddie graciously took them, practically inhaling the glass of water. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

His hand curled over his shoulder and Eddie felt the echo of that warmth slide under his jaw and brush over his cheek, like his body was recalling something that his mind couldn’t quite grasp, a dream or memory he wasn’t sure but he wanted nothing more than to feel that again, to really remember the intimate, almost tender touch on his skin…

Eddie’s chest tightened and he stiffened, shoving his wandering thoughts aside.

He was still drunk. Buck was just being a good friend.

That was all.

“You alright?”

“Yeah,” he cleared his throat, still not ready to meet those eyes, “what time is it?”

_“_ A little after nine.”

His head snapped up and Eddie clenched his jaw at the pain that flared behind his eyes.

Buck just smiled, “I already talked to Bobby. He got someone to cover our shifts.”

For just a split second, Eddie was worried Bobby had told Buck about their conversation the day before but it quickly faded. Bobby wouldn’t have said anything even if Buck had asked, being a private man himself. “You didn’t have to stay here with me, Buck.”

“And leave you hungover and alone in my apartment?” His smile widened into an amused grin, hand sliding off Eddie’s shoulder and leaving a trail of heat as he stood, “What kind of friend do you take me for?”

“I figured you’d want to go to work is all.”

Buck shrugged, “Couldn’t sleep anyway.”

Eddie frowned, guilty at the thought that he’d been the reason why. “Christopher?”

“I called Pepa,” Buck moved back towards the kitchen, “She dropped him off at school.”

“What did you tell him?”

“Just that you weren’t feeling well.” He replied simply as he opened the refrigerator, pulling out a carton of eggs and a package of bacon. “I’m making us some breakfast. You like your eggs scrambled, right?”

Eddie blinked, surprised he wasn’t getting interrogated about what was going on with him, why he’d shown up drunk at God knows what time. He’d expected those questions, expected anger or even irritation for the inconvenience, not questions about _breakfast_. He cleared his throat, “Uh…yeah.”

“I already have a change of clothes in the bathroom for you if you wanna get a shower.” 

Something akin to fondness squeezed his chest and Eddie was thankful that Buck had his back to him. The last thing he needed was Buck seeing him fucking _blush_ as he let out an almost nervous chuckle, “You saying I stink?”

Buck turned around with a grin, “Yes.”

Eddie’s throat went dry at the sight of the sunlight spilling over him through the large windows, bringing out myriad shades of copper and gold in his hair and turning those blue eyes into twin pools of-

_Dios mio_ , he needed to get away from this conversation…and into a cold shower.

“Then I guess I should get to it.” Steeling himself, he gripped the armrest of the couch and stood, waiting until the room stopped spinning and his stomach stopped flipping before he felt it safe to let go and begin walking towards the stairs.

Buck set down the pan, coming and placing a steadying hand on his shoulder, “You good?”

Eddie’s throat closed up as the heat burning through his shirt pulled up the memory of that same hand moving in slow, gentle circles over his back, of that voice whispering words over and over again in his ear…

_“It’s okay. I’m here. I’m here…”_

His eyes slipped closed and it took everything not to lean into that touch.

“Eddie?”

His hand tightened on the railing, opening his eyes, “I’m fine Buck. A bit dizzy is all.”

Buck removed his hand hesitantly, “Alright. If you need anything holler.”

Eddie’s knuckles went white, but he managed a smile, “Just don’t burn the kitchen down.”

He put a hand to his chest in mock hurt, “I would _never_.”

Eddie just laughed, slowly making his way up the stairs. He needed to get away from those eyes and that smile and that voice and that touch… _no_. Those sensations, those images, those thoughts were the byproduct of a tequila-soaked mind and nothing more.

A cold shower would wash them all away.

It had to.

…

Buck scraped the last of the eggs onto the second plate as Eddie came down the stairs, very nearly dropping the pan at the sight of Eddie in his black Henley and grey sweatpants, hair still damp from the shower. Something in him preened at the man wearing his clothes and Buck refused to acknowledge the image of curling his fingers into the fabric and pulling him into a kiss.

Now was not the time for his stupid crush to rear its head, “You feeling better?”

Eddie’s smile seemed a bit forced, “The room’s not spinning anymore so…”

Once more, Buck wanted to ask why he’d gotten so drunk in the first place, but he bit his tongue and concentrated on getting the two mugs from his cabinet instead. He had a good idea why, but knew that if Eddie hadn’t been so far gone, he wouldn’t have said anything at all. If he found out that Buck _knew_ …

Eddie would retreat even further inward, away from everyone.

Away from _him_.

It was that last thought that told Buck to act like he knew nothing.

He turned his back to Eddie, pouring the coffee and holding out a mug. “Here.”

Eddie took it, but stared at him warily, “You’re not going to ask?”

Buck regarded him with an expression that Hen had dubbed his “Confused Puppy” look that people could hardly stay mad at, knowing he’d rather be seen as completely clueless then knowing in this exact moment given Eddie’s caginess. “Ask about what?”

Eddie sighed, “Don’t play dumb, Buck. You know what.”

Buck looked down at his mug, worrying his lip.

“About why I showed up here drunk.”

Buck shrugged, “It doesn’t matter why Eddie.”

He frowned, a muscle twitching in his jaw, “It does.”

Buck sighed and set down his mug, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing until the man met his gaze. His stomach flipped at the heat simmering in those hazel depths, “You were upset, Eddie, and from what I could tell, you just wanted company.”

“From what you could-?”

“A majority of the words you spoke weren’t even in English.” The statement wasn’t exactly a lie, but Buck still felt bad all the same so he quickly amended, “You were apologizing for something and when I asked why…”

Eddie narrowed his eyes, “What else aren’t you telling me?”

“Eddie…”

“You’re a shit liar, Buck.”

His words had no edge to them, but Buck could hear the underlying tone and knew he would only upset Eddie more with avoidance. He leaned back against the counter, “You were uh…you were talking about Shannon…leaving.”

His head fell back, “ _Mierda_.”

Buck curled both hands over Eddie’s shoulders, barely hesitating as he slid his palms up the warm column of his neck and brought his face back down to his, chest aching as the moisture shining in his eyes. “It’s okay, Eddie.”

His friend shook his head, “No…no, it’s not, I…I messed up, I-”

“Eddie…” Buck found himself pushed back,

“You don’t get it!” Eddie’s voice rose like it had that day in the grocery store, eyes dark and burning as he pulled away. But the steel in his words was brittle, like one small thing would have it shattering. “You don’t understand what I’ve done!”

“Would it have anything to do with all the bruises?”

Eddie clenched his jaw tightly. “Buck…”

“Look,” He raised his hands, “I’m the last person who’s going to judge you for your mistakes and you know that. We all do stupid things when we’re hurting, Eddie, and whatever happened, I’m sure we can-”

“I nearly killed someone.”

Buck blinked, mouth snapping shut.

Eddie’s smile held nothing behind it, “Not so forgiving now, huh Buck?”

He frowned, “Are you trying to push me away?”

“Why does it matter if I am? Not like you cared to ask before.”

Buck took a deep breath and forced aside his instinctual urge to react to the words, seeing that that was exactly what Eddie wanted to happen. He came closer, surprised to find that he was channeling Bobby’s ever-present calm as he spoke evenly, “I’m your friend, Eddie.” Buck moved closer, “I will _always_ care.”

Eddie scoffed, turning away.

He frowned, “I’m not fighting with you on this, Eddie.”

Eddie’s expression was unreadable when he looked back, “You should.”

Buck hated that he could do that, lock everything away behind blank features without hesitation. Like he’d flipped a switch in his head. Hell, even the blazing anger from moments before had been snuffed out, the morning light unable to bring any warmth back to his eyes.

It should’ve frightened him, but all Buck felt was sadness.

_How much had he hidden away before?_

God, he wanted so much to reach out, shake some of that ice lose, but this…emotional whiplash was becoming too much for him this early in the morning and he could feel his eyes burning but he blinked them back. “If you’re looking for a fight, you’re not going to find one here.”

“You want me to leave?”

He sighed, “No.”

“So what do you want?”

Buck shook his head, “As I told you already, I just want you to fucking _talk to me_.” He knew his irritation had bled into the words but he didn’t care at that point, “You told me more in your drunk ramblings last night than you have in weeks.”

Eddie blinked, something in his mask fracturing. “Buck…”

_Shit._ He’d said too much.

Buck sighed, taking the two mugs of coffee and putting them in the microwave, pushing the reheat button before facing Eddie. “Look, I’m not asking you to pour out your deepest, darkest secrets to me right now. I won’t force you or-”

“What did I say?”

Buck looked down at the floor, the words trapped by the lump in his throat.

“Evan, _please_.”

His head snapped up and Buck wondered how two just words could so easily knock him so off-balance. Maybe it was the use of his first name or the way Eddie’s voice cracked on the last word, but the look in his eyes…

“You said you weren’t enough for Shannon.” Buck leaned back against the island, the feet of space between them feeling like miles, and he wanted to come closer, to pull him into a bug, but he couldn’t really get good read on how well it would be received, “That you’d forgiven her and it hadn’t been enough. You said that you’d forgiven me but…”

The tears spilled over as a choked sound slipped out, Eddie wrapping his arms around himself like he could stop himself from falling and he shook his head as Buck trailed off, whether to keep him talking or stop him from moving closer Buck wasn’t sure…

“Said that you wouldn’t be enough for me, that I’d leave you again.”

Eddie’s body was trembling with the effort to stay upright and Buck moved forward, pulling the older man into a hug and felt the last threads of Eddie’s resistance snap as tears soaked into the collar of his shirt and fingers dug into his back.

Like the night before, Buck just held him, forcing himself not to get upset.

Eddie needed a rock and that was what he’d be.

“I’m not leaving you Eddie, you or Christopher, ever again.” He murmured to words into his hair, careful to keep his breathing as calm as possible, trying to keep Eddie from tipping into a full-blown panic attack. “I promise.”

Eddie shook his head, pulling back, “Don’t do that. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

Buck tightened his hold on the man’s shoulders, “What makes you think I’ll break it?”

“This job, you can’t…” he swallowed, “You can’t predict what will happen.”

“I know that. The ladder truck crushing me nearly a year ago was a good reminder.” He said the words as gently as he could but he felt the man tense. “Life is unpredictable. Things are going to happen that are out of your control, but…” he slid his hands back up Eddie’s neck, feeling his pulse thrumming under his palms, “no matter what happens, I will fight to come back to Chris, to _you_ , every. Single. Time. _That_ I promise.”

Buck knew he’d given himself away with his words, exposed his feelings and opened himself to Eddie’s ridicule or rejection but the risk of that pain was nothing compared to seeing his friend crumble apart right in front of him. He’d do whatever it took to ground Eddie, to keep his head above water even if he got pushed under in the process…

Hazel eyes shone with tears as they roamed his face, searching for the lie.

But like Eddie had said before…he was a shitty liar.

The fists on his back loosened, hands sliding slowly down his back to settle on his waist and Buck couldn’t completely contain the shiver that moved down his spine and settled in the pit of his stomach. He knew he should step back, pull away before he said or did something stupider than he already had, but the heat of those hands was too good to give up just yet…

“Do you mean that?” The question came slowly, like Eddie was thinking on the words as he said them and something in his expression was so painfully hopeful, his eyes burning with a different type of warmth, “Did you really…?”

“I meant it.” Buck smiled, thumbs moving back and forth over stubbled cheeks, not caring in the slightest if he’d just jumped off a proverbial cliff, “You and Christopher are my world. My _home_. I will never stop fighting to come back to you.”

Eddie pulled him closer, resting his forehead against Buck’s.

Buck nearly stopped breathing at the proximity, his heart pounding so loudly he was sure Eddie could hear it. His thoughts were a runaway freight train, dangerously close to running off the rails completely. He knew he should say something, do something, but then Eddie’s eyes flitted to his mouth and those fingers dug deeper into his skin…

“Tell me to stop, Buck.”

The words had him smiling, remnants of Buck 1.0 shining through as he ran his eyes over every strong line and angle of his face without shame, lingering on soft, parted lips before meeting darkening hazel eyes, “Why would I want you to stop?”

Answering the unspoken question, Eddie surged forward and closed the distance.

No amount of fantasizing could’ve ever prepared Buck for the feeling of those lips against his or the heat that followed, filling his veins with molten fire and leaving him drunk, his body putting up no resistance as the countertop dug into his back.

Buck groaned as fingers grazed the skin just underneath the hem of his shirt and sent all the blood rushing south, his hands cupping the back of Eddie’s head and drawing him even closer, kissing him longer, deeper, until the persistent aching of his lungs forced them apart.

For a moment, the only sound was their ragged breathing, Buck resting his forehead against Eddie’s and he tried to recover some sort of conscious thought. But all his logic and reason and basic common sense were still being pieced back together and it wasn’t helping that Eddie’s fingers were absently tracing the curve of his hipbones. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth…

The touch was so good it _burned_ and Buck wanted to feel it everywhere, to let himself be engulfed and consumed in a way that should’ve frightened him. But God, all he wanted was to kiss him again, to run his hands over every unexplored inch of skin and see just what kind of sounds he could get the other man to make…

Buck needed to pull away, to _breathe_ , but then Eddie, face flushed and pupils blown wide, fucking _smiled_ and it was like all the air got sucked out of his chest because no man had the right to look that beautiful in the morning while no doubt sporting a pretty vicious hangover.

“That was…”

“Yeah,” Buck added oh so articulately, everything in him too fixated on those kiss-swollen lips to really form any words and a little voice in the back of his mind was urging him to just lean forward, that they had the whole day to themselves…

Eddie moved first, fingers digging into his skin as he pulled Buck back into him, capturing his mouth in a kiss that was all heat and hunger, only separating for as long as it took to toss shirts aside, and any thought about stopping went up in flames.

Buck backed Eddie into the fridge hard enough for the bottles inside to clatter together, hands on either side of his head as he slotted a leg between Eddie’s, leaving a trail of hot, wet kisses along his jaw and down his neck, tasting the pounding pulse underneath the warm skin.

Eddie’s head fell back, growling something in Spanish, and Buck couldn’t help but grin.

Like a switch had been flipped, Eddie spun them around until Buck felt cool, smooth metal at his back and groaned as teeth caught his bottom lip and tugged at the same moment Eddie did something absolutely _sinful_ with his hips, knees buckling, “ _Fuck_ , Eddie…”

“Is that a request, _cariño_?” Eddie purred, lips curling against the shell of his ear.

His stomach clenched at the words and Buck was sure he’d be embarrassed by the sound he let out later when those hands slipped beneath the waistband of his sweats, so close and yet so far from where he wanted them to, where he _needed_ them to be. “Eddie... _”_

Eddie let out a low chuckle, hands moving to his hips and holding them still as Buck squirmed, leaving bruises as his grip tightened. He smiled when Buck let out a whine and his voice was irritatingly calm as he sucked a mark over his jugular, “I need you to tell me, _cariño._ ”

“I want-” His sentence fell apart with a gasp as teeth clamped down _hard_ and if he had more presence of mind, Buck might’ve been irritated that Eddie was leaving marks on his skin that would be impossible to hide for tomorrow’s shift, but _God_ did it feel good. “I want _you_ , Eddie. All of you, _please_.”

Eddie’s expression was nothing short of ravenous as he smiled, one hand sliding up to cup the back of Buck’s head and drawing him into a kiss that was all tongue and teeth, swallowing his groan as the other continued down, fingers curling and stroking…

Then Buck stopped thinking altogether.

…

Despite Hen’s absence the next day at work pending further investigation and the somberness hanging in the air, Chimney’s bright grin lightened the mood some when Buck walked in with Eddie not far behind. “You two have a good day off?”

Buck narrowed his eyes at him.

Eddie just chuckled, throwing an arm over his shoulders.

Bobby smiled, “Good to have you two back.”

They stopped mid-step, turning to face their captain.

Buck blushed when the man’s eyes dropped to the very visible bruise on his neck, tugging his collar up and clearing his throat, fighting the urge to lean back into Eddie’s warmth as that arm tightened around him. “Hey, Cap.”

“You know, Buck, when I said take care of him, that wasn’t exactly what I meant.” Bobby folded his arms across his chest, amusement clear in his eyes as his smile widened almost knowingly, “But it looks like I’ll have good news for Hen when she gets back.”

Chimney was nearly bent over laughing now at Buck and Eddie’s stunned expressions.

“Just keep it professional at work, alright?”

“Yes, Captain.” They said at the same time.

Chim glanced at Bobby, “And maybe keep Buck away from the ladder truck?”

Buck flipped him off.

“Buck…” Bobby chided.

Eddie watched the exchange with mild confusion, “What am I missing?”

Buck cleared his throat, “It was part of my… _phase_.”

Hazel eyes flitted to the nearest truck and then at Buck, darkening in realization, in w _ant_ -

The shrill ringing of the bell broke the moment, sending them rushing into their turnout gear, and Buck could still feel the heat of those eyes on him the entire time. His stomach flipped as the memories of the night before and just that morning flooded back.

This was going to be a _long_ shift.


End file.
